18 March 2023 – Chiloe Island

Orange arrow points to Chiloe

Chiloe Island a popular tourist destination apparently, is a delightful spot in southern Chile. Remembering that Chile is just over 4000km long, we had navigated 3400km from the beginning of our voyage and we were not halfway north along this narrow coastal-strip of a country. Unsurprisingly Chile has numerous climatic regions; we were in the Lake District within Chilean Patagonia and it is lush. 

We disembarked at Quemchi a small fishing port on the east coast of the island and then once ashore we loaded into buses - ours with a fantastic guide Patrice, to drive through bucolic farmland to a tiny fishing village called Dalcahue,  which means ‘place of canoes’. The canoes were made by stitching 3 pieces of ‘wood’ together with reeds and sealing the seams with vegetable glue. When we arrived there, we happened upon the preparations for the funeral for a well-loved and revered local so we had to be careful not to intrude on their grieving but they allowed us to have a look inside the church, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Dalcahue, Church of Our Lady of Sorrows. It is one of the largest and oldest churches in Chiloe and was declared a National Monument in 1971 and listed as World Heritage by UNESCO in 2000. 

When we emerged the crowd was gathering and among the crowd were a number in regional costume. It felt rather a special place and day. When we returned from the harbour maybe 45 minutes later, the crowd had grown and was still growing with many more people in regional costume including a number of grand-looking huaso (Chile's excellent horsemen). It seemed that there was to be a ‘celebration’ in dance and music.  Quite moving for us for whom funerals are sombre affairs.

A quirky piece of artwork near the Square

We wandered down to the harbour to check out the fish mongers and, if we dared, taste the exotic crustaceans – sea urchins amongst other ‘delicacies including what to me looked like Cunjevoi (used as berley in some places in Australia). Our guide was convinced to down one and it looked extremely unpleasant. 

A striated heron was perched quietly on this little wooden boat

Further out in the bay was an oyster farm and yes they were being sold on the wharf

Most of us were gagging just watching Patrice down a largish slippery red morsel.

The rest of the market was quite fascinating. Again, sadly we were loath to buy anything (that is if we thought we could have squeezed anything more in our luggage!) only then to have to sacrifice it to Customs on returning home.  Eventually we were rounded up and herded back onto the bus to travel back to Quemchi and to the tiny island of Aucar, called Isla de las Almas Navegantes, translated means Island of Sailing Souls (lost sailors); it is accessible via a long wooden footbridge.

Sailors cemetery

The island was like a botanical garden with mainly trees endemic to the region. Fascinating. We also visited the tiny chapel on the island.   

Then we all trooped back across the bridge which was a bit rickety in places

Sadly I have no pix but back on the mainland on the edge of the water there was a flock of black-necked swans. I've never seen them before and they are quick lovely. Apparently they are found throughout the southern tip of South America, what a find for bird-lovers. The wee island was a beautiful little spot, in fact all that we saw of Chiloe was lovely.

That night there was a farewell cocktail with the captain at which all the crew were presented. Nice for them to be on stage, but it was a bit like the endless credits at the end of a movie. We managed to duck passed the Captain and the 'mandatory' happy 'formal' pic with the Captain (we were not dressed for the occasion). That was followed by a formal Gala dinner which was not our scene so we escaped to Le Boussole on Deck 6.